How the Ariel Atom Works

Strictly speaking, the Atom is a supercar, a type of
sports car made in relatively low numbers and with high-performance
features that rival racecars. Even with their exotic look and
superlative performance, supercars are generally designed to be
street-legal. But it's on the track, where speed limits and traffic
laws don't apply, that supercars truly shine.

Virtually all supercars accelerate from zero to 60 mph in under
four seconds and can reach top speeds of 180 mph or faster. A low weight-to-power ratio (pounds per horsepower) makes this kind of performance possible. Remember Newton's first law of motion? It describes inertia
-- the tendency of an object to remain at rest or an object in motion
to remain in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. The more
mass an object has, the more inertia it has; the more it will resist
changes in its motion. That's why super-lightweight cars have such high
acceleration. Their lower inertia makes them easier to move, especially
when a 250-horsepower engine is generating the force causing the
motion.

So how does the Atom stack up to other supercars when measured against
key performance criteria? First, the Atom weighs just a little more
than 1,000 pounds and comes with an engine that generates up to 300
horsepower. In contrast, a Lincoln Town Car weighs up to 4,500 pounds
and has a 239-horsepower engine, resulting in a weight-to-power ratio
of 19 to 1. As the table below shows, the maximum weight-to-power ratio
of the Atom is far below a Town Car's -- and is among the lowest of all
supercars.

Car

Weight-to-Power Ratio

0-60 Acceleration (s)

Top Speed (mph)

McLaren F1

4.01 to 1

3.2

240

Bugatti Veyron

4.35 to 1

2.5

252

Ferrari Enzo

4.56 to 1

3.5

217

Porsche Carrera GT

4.97 to 1

3.8

205

Ariel Atom

4.10 to 1

2.8

135

The Atom's acceleration also stands out. Based on its phenomenal
zero-to-60 performance, it has won the distinction of fastest
production car in the world. The one supercar attribute you won't find
on the Atom, however, is a six-figure price tag. It ranges from $35,000
to $75,000 -- a pittance when compared to the McLaren F1 or Bugatti Veyron, both of which carry $1 million price tags. Even the Porsche Carrera GT, priced at $440,000, costs almost six times as much as the Atom.

Although the Atom meets the performance criteria of the supercar
category, it doesn't look like a typical sports car. That's because
Formula One racers inspired its engineering. It has a nose cone, a low,
wide shape and an engine mounted behind the driver, who is exposed to
the elements because the vehicle lacks doors, a windshield or a roof.
To help produce downward force on the vehicle, the Atom has a rear wing
that also serves as an engine cover.

From
a distance, the Atom even looks a little like a Cooper Formula One
racing car. But unlike a true racer, the Atom isn't confined to the
track. It is equally at home on the highway -- and in the car
enthusiast's garage. That's because the Atom doesn't require a team of
professional mechanics to keep the car tweaked and tuned. It's easy to
drive, easy to maintain and economical to own. In the next section,
we'll see how the Atom pulls it off.